Contessa's Court September 2018

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Editor’s Letter

What a lovely summer. I love the fall with all the leaves changing. I look forward to it every year! I am super proud of this issue and I love it so much!

Table of Contents

Page 20 Interview with Neil Oseman by Jean Maye Page 38 Namesake Cake by William Maltese Page 46 Interview with Megan Lockhurst by Jean Maye Page 55 Interview with Jem Rycraft Page 70 Washington State Dragon Page 76 Editor in Chief ’s Faves for September Page 80 Fashion Community Week Page 146 Kay Pike Page 154 Haute Men’s Fashion by William Maltese Page 174 Interview with Paul Butterworth by Jean Maye Page 182 So, Tell Me Dahlink by Brenda Burgett

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Interview with Neil Oseman

by Jean Maye How did you get into Cinematography?

I began making amateur films when I was 13 or 14 years old, using my granddad’s 8mm video camcorder. Eventually he gave it to me because I was using it more than he was!

I made about 50 or 60 amateur films over the next few years before taking at a short film course at the age of 19. The company that ran the course saw some clips of my amateur films and started hiring me to shoot for them. It was just corporate/industrial films, educational videos, things like that, but since then I have gradually built up to bigger and bigger productions.

2. What inspired you?

I grew up on eighties classics like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters, which are still two of my favourite films. Later Jurassic Park was a big influence on me. I discovered Don Shay and Jody Duncan’s book on The Making of Jurassic Park and for the first time I understood a little about how films were made. I remember, as a teenager, marvelling at the storyboards at the back of the book and trying to draw my own, and then shoot them.

Lately I have been inspired by a range of influences, from the atmospheric paintings of JMW Turner and the silvery photographs of Ansel Adams to the modern imagery of cinematographers like Suzie Lavelle (Sherlock, Doctor Who), Ole Bratt Birkeland (The Crown, Utopia) and Arthur Albert (Better Call Saul).

3. A little about yourself, background, loves and hopes for the future.

I grew up in Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. I was very lucky to have a beautiful range of hills nearby, as well as lots of common land, which I used extensively in my early amateur films. I wanted to be a writer when I was a young child, but by the time I was out of high school I knew that visual storytelling was what I really wanted to do with my life. Even today I shoot photographs in my spare time because I’m still fascinated by the moods of light and the meanings of composition. Recently I have learnt to develop and print my own 35mm black and white photographs by hand, which has given me a whole new appreciation for the medium.

4. What did you love about Finding Hope?

Sometimes short films can leave a viewer cold; they’re over before you really get to know the characters or care about them. What Finding Hope does brilliantly is to throw you straight into a very recognisable and very emotionally powerful situation which leaves you very affected even though the film is short. As a cinematographer it was a nice opportunity to do some responsive handheld camerawork, getting up close and personal with the cast, while keeping the lighting simple but beautiful.

5. What is it like working with me as the producer?

Having written the script, Jean was very in tune with what the film needed, while at the same time allowing the crew she had hired the space to creatively interpret the material.

She looked after us all really well on the shoot, which is always greatly appreciated! She is very persuasive and has a lot of stories to tell, so I look forward to seeing what else she comes out with in the future.

6. What your aspirations are for the future.

I am a great admirer of the high quality being done in long-form TV and streaming at the moment, so I would love to get involved in that. My dream job would be a classy period drama like Outlander or The Crown. I am fascinated by the challenges of simulating firelight and candlelight with modern movie lights, and generally creating that feeling of texture and age in an image.

7. Tell us about your films since then and what you have planned in the future?

Soon after Finding Hope I was fortunate enough to work with Paul and Mark McGann on a short film called Perplexed Music. Mark wrote and directed the film, and Paul (best known for his roles in Withnail & I, Doctor Who and Alien 3) gave a stunning performance in the lead role. By coincidence that film also dealt with themes of grief and acceptance. It has won several awards including most recently Best Male Performance for Paul and Best Cinematography for me at the Enginious Film Awards in West Virginia.

On August 17th a feature I shot called The Little Mermaid comes to movie theatres across the US. This is an independent live-action reimagining of the classic fairytale, starring the legendary Shirley MacLaine, as well as William Moseley, Poppy Drayton and Gina Gershon. Two other features which I shot are due for release later this year or early next: a 17th century supernatural thriller called Heretiks, featuring Michael Ironside, and a comedy road movie called Above the Clouds.

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NAMESAKE CAKE WILLIAM MALTESE Move over Rockefeller, Caesar, Napoleon, Melba, in that you’re not the only ones who have ever had something good to eat named after you. In fact, if you’ve written as many cook books as I have (7), and have long associated with professional chefs and entrepreneurial cooks who are innovative in their kitchens, the chances are that you, too, will have more than one “something” tasty out there with your name on it. Presently, I can boast a specialty chocolate truffle, a salad, a sandwich, a spice, an orange cake, and the following, courtesy of Christina-Marie (Sexy Vegan Mama) Wright with whom I collaborated for Get-Real Vegan Desserts: Vegan Recipes for the Rest of Us. Graciously says Christina-Maria: “My esteemed co-author already has a spice blend (William Maltese Hottie Spice) named after him, so… Why not a spice cake? Many spice cake recipes call for raisins, but I prefer the tartness of cranberries. This, by the way, is not to imply Mr. Maltese is a ‘tart’ of any sort.”

WILLIAM MALTESE VEGAN SPICE CAKE 1¾ c unbleached flour 1 c cane juice crystals or natural sugar ½ t baking soda ½ t salt 1 t cinnamon ½ t nutmeg ½ ground cloves 1 c dried cranberries ½ c oil 1 T vanilla extract 1 c. cold water 2 T. lemon juice Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly grease an 8” or 9” cake pan.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir until mixture is silky and well-combined.

Mix in cranberries.

In a medium bowl, combine oil, vanilla and water.

Add contents of medium bowl to large bowl and stir well.

Add lemon juice to batter, stirring quickly, and then pour into baking pan. The cranberries will settle to the bottom of the pan, and will be on top when the cake is turned out of the pan.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn cake out onto a serving plate. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Serve as-is, dusted with organic powdered sugar or drizzle with a glaze made of water, organic powdered sugar and vanilla.

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Interview With Megan Lockhurst

by Jean Maye

1- How did you get into Acting?

I can remember acting for school plays and choirs at a very early age in my life and it always seemed to come quite natural to me. Drawn to Musical Theatre and an avid singer/songwriter I loved the intensity and enjoyment the roles would bring me and spent most evenings putting on productions with my friends or creating music on the piano. After years of focusing on my singing/songwriting I decided to embrace my passion and become a Film/Television actor.

2. What inspired you?

Inspiration can come in many forms, however the most amazing thing about being in this industry is seeing passionate people do impossible things every day. When every day people make magic happen, whether that be a writer, an actor or artist, there is a sense of excitement and energy that grows into inspiration. It has allowed me personally to reach higher then I ever imagined and has given me the drive to fight for my goals.

3. A little about yourself, background, loves and hopes for the future.

An eternal optimist, I always try to inspire and live my life to the fullest. That doesn’t mean I will jump out of a plane, but more so write, sing, laugh and at times jump in puddles. I enjoy nature and love exploring. My whole childhood was an adventure and that spark and love for life has carried into my adulthood. I’m a huge animal lover and activist and would often bring stray creatures home to nurse and care for. My dream one day is to open an animal sanctuary one day where I can utilise social media and find homes for unwanted animals.

4. What you love about Tides and The Adventurers Diary.

I was actually introduced to The Adventurers Diary before Tides so it was extremely interesting to see Tides at the London Rolling Film Festival recently. I was immensely taken by the story and the message behind it. Both films are incredibly moving and beautifully shot. The Director Ben Wicks really captured Writer/Producer Jean Maye’s vision and Actress Patricia Loveland really brings her characters struggle to life. These films are moving and wonderfully emotional.

5. Your character and character Marion I feel extremely lucky to have played the role of Tara in The Adventurers Diary. With her nails chipped and her obvious lack of enthusiasm for the job, when faced with Patricia’s character ‘Marion’ Tara unintentionally touches on the stereotypes that surround the elderly every day. It was interesting to see the dynamic between the characters come to life and unfortunate to know people who have been in that situation.

6. What is it like working with Jean as the Producer?

Jean Maye is one of the loveliest people I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with. When Jean approached me for this role, I was over the moon to work with her. Her drive and determination on set is fascinating to watch and her story telling is amazing. She really captures key topics and knows how to bring them to life. Every actor on set was looked after and thanked for their time. To work with such a visionary and creator was a real pleasure.

7. What your aspirations are for the future.

My goals and aspirations are to become a full time actress living, working and breathing the industry. Though I’m aiming for a wide range of characters, I’d love to play She-Ra or a strong comic book character. My main goal is to be in Feature films around the world, picking up new skills as I go along.

8. Is there anything else you would like to say I would like to give a huge thanks to Jean Maye and Ben Wicks for having me on the set of The Adventurers Diary and those who have shown me continuous support throughout my journey as an actress so far. If you would like to learn more about me please feel free to visit my website at www. meganlockhurst.com. I’ve got several features being released over the next few months and updates are often posted on my social media pages.

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Interview With Jem Rycraft

By Jean Maye

1. How did you get into acting and how has your career developed?

Getting into acting wasn’t exactly an accident – but a series of fortuitous events really. My mother, who at the time of my infancy, worked as a part time receptionist for the family GP, was advised to perhaps consider introducing me to dance or acrobatics and elocution lessons [as they were then known] to help with latent developmental issues in terms of balance and speech - I had been born with a mild hearing disability – which had affected my development in those areas.

A little later on at secondary school, taking on roles in school plays was a way to bind the bullies fist I found – but it wasn’t until I attended college that my passion for the subject was ignited – when under the guidance of lecturers John Bartlett, Martin Daniels, Heather Carling and John Birks, I got to discover Harold Pinter, devise and tour a children’s play to local primary schools and play in a promenade production of Lark Rise to Candleford at The New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth.

After graduating from Drama School in 1990, I have been lucky enough to have worked in theatre – notable highlights for me being a couple of stints at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the West Belfast Arts Festival. A couple of tours with All Electric Puppet Theatre and White Horse has afforded me opportunities to experience the terrain, culture and amongst other things nightlife of remote parts of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Denmark and Poland – where my role in Red Card’s production of ‘Denial’ by James Duncan was inspired by an educational trip to Auschwitz resulting in a subsequent tour of UK prisons and institutions for young offenders as well as being an integral part of the diversity training for the Northern Ireland Police service.

2. What inspires you?

The topsy turvey nature of life; with the curve balls that come your way from time to time, mean that my inspirations come from a number of sources. Music will always be my first ‘go to’ as a means of transporting me out of the ‘here and now’ - to a place where my imagination can flourish and ideas can gather momentum.

I am inspired every day however, by people primarily – the battles and the obstacles that have to be overcome each and every day. My work with people on the autistic spectrum for example, or those with entrenched histories of homelessness with associated addiction issues, remind me of the necessity there is to recognise and feel gratitude. Learning to be grateful for what is, for what I have, is in itself - inspiring.

Professionally, I’d say I’m inspired by challenges and find inspiration from acts of courage in others – and a most excellent quality, which I’ve recently been reading about in Brene Brown’s book “Daring Greatly” – the inspiration which can be drawn from allowing oneself to be vulnerable.

3. How did you meet Jean and get involved in Tides and the Adventurers Diary?

It’s been since 2015, that I have turned my attention to various film projects; with a number of shorts currently on the festival circuit, including Hyper Reality directed by Serafina Pang which played at the London Sci-Fi film festival in May 2017 and Smile by Geoff Harmer, which is when I first met Jean – because her home was the primary location for the shooting of that film.

It wasn’t until the summer of last year that we met again at Exit 6 film festival – but it was a case yet again of not much more than a ‘corridor conversation’ – with protestations on both our parts that we must get together for a catch up soon. That ‘catch-up’ came about in the form of yet another short conversation after the premiere of Jean’s first film ‘Finding Hope’ a triumph of a film in itself, as adjudicated by many in film festivals both sides of the pond, and then through various conversations over social media platforms and one particularly long telephone call one evening, resulting in me confirming that I would join the team Jean was assembling to create a short video - which I understood would form part of the crowdfunding campaign for The Adventurer’s Diary.

That short video turned out to be ‘Tides’ an award winning film in its own right. So, having played the role of older Fred in what was now the prequel, reprising that role in The Adventurers Diary was now an inevitability – and so I got to see Jean’s screenplay for the first time.

With my own mother living with a diagnosis of dementia – and the anxiety I have felt about her deteriorating condition, what really struck me about Jean’s screenplay was the way that all of the characters that Marion encounters in the story – are kind to her – and enabling of her desire to have that final adventure.

In a world, where safeguarding protocols for the care and support of vulnerable members of society often mean that people are denied opportunities; because the risk is perceived too high and the expectations we have of ourselves and others too low, Jean’s screenplay was refreshing in as much as it illuminated liberation – and how inspiring is that as a feeling huh?!

The character I play in The Adventurers Diary is Fred; Marion’s late husband - an apparition, whereas all other characters are living – and its always interesting to hear how other people interpret words and imagined images as read on paper - so, as ever, I look forward to seeing what Ben and his editorial team put together in the final cut.

4. What has it been like working with Jean as the producer?

Obviously our roles in both Tides and The Adventurers Diary are entirely different, but the very nature of working on an independent film project with next to no budget means that the lines defining roles do get blurred. This is actually something I really enjoy when working on low budget film projects. People tend to be there because they want to be, pulling in the same direction, sharing the same vision, wanting the project to be successful – and therein experiencing the camaraderie of a functional team on set….

Last weekend, I accompanied Jean to London to see Tides have its first screening at a UK film festival. Described as a good networking event, and an opportunity to engineer some momentum for the crowdfunding campaign still running for The Adventurers Diary, I experienced the film making business from a new perspective. Jean was a natural; engaging, humorous, passionate, and over the course of the day she worked the room really effectively. Whilst I had a fistful of short conversations, I find contriving those type of conversations tiresome and nauseating. I am much better and much more at ease when any conversation occurs organically. My respect for the many and varied functions that an independent film producer has to execute in that role, remains undiminished.

5. What do you do when not working in film and what hopes do you have for the future?

If I’m not working on a film set, I’m usually working elsewhere – after all, a mortgage needs to be paid! I’m not all work and no play though. One of the things Jean and I share, is a love of animals. Jean’s cat is fondly known as Madam Marbles, and my dog is regarded as Troublesome Tues. Being so close to the New Forest, long rambles with Tues on a well-earned day off is usually the order of things….

For the future, who knows? I guess I’m drawn back to the theme of gratitude: grateful for all that has been, but grateful too for the days, months and years that lie ahead, that will inevitably take me to where I am supposed to be...

At this moment in time, I’d be quite content with a Volkswagen campervan – for me and my dog to go on our travels.

I will be playing the role of Laurence.for a brand new comedy drama entitled “Who gets the Cat?” by Sandy Truman for Bryteye Productions which will initially play at the lantern theatre in Brighton at the end of September.

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WASHINGTON STATE DRAGON “Sit down, Kevin,” Qwan Chou instructs his son. “We have to discuss this dream of yours which is … tell me if I’m wrong … occurring more and more frequently.”

“It’s just a dream, Pops,” Kevin argues.

“Unless it isn’t just a dream,” Qwan Chou says cryptically.

“Whoa!” Kevin responds, wondering what has his father pitching that wild ball from left field.

“Do, please, sit,” Qwan instructs. “This is important.”

Kevin sits. Qwan sits the chair directly opposite.

“What are we talking if not a dream?” is the very next thing Kevin wants to know.

Qwan pauses. This is a subject he’s always hoped he’d never have to discuss with his son.

Just their luck, or lack thereof, that of all places in the world they had to stop to put down roots, it had to be this one. Then, again, there was the rumor that Qwan Chou’s family always carried around the potential for just such moments like this and had to deal with them, from time to time. Qwan Chou just wishes it wasn’t Kevin and he who have to deal with this one.

Qwan takes a deep breath and says, “There was a time when all in our family were dragons.”

“Right!” Kevin says and makes it sound, “I think not!”

“In ancient China’s Twock Pow Province, across the Xalin Mountains from Tibet,” Qwan says. “We killed off everyone and everything else in the area and, then, went looking farther afield. Where we inadvertently stumbled across the geographical boundaries beyond which we were dragons no longer.”

“You can’t be serious!”

“Just be quiet and listen, please.”

“It’s just been awhile since you told me a fairy tale.”

“You’ll think it’s a fairy tale when you start sprouting scales and foot-long claws,” Qwan says.

“This isn’t Twock Pow Province, ancient China,” Kevin reminds. “This is Flicker, Washington State, Twenty-first Century.”

“Most of our family enjoyed the transformation to human and stayed outside the Twock Pow boundaries. Those who remained eventually, for want of anything else to do, killed off each other until the last dragon died of old age.”

“Ah, Pops, be serious!” Kevin protests.

“Certain rare power-spots, like Twock Pow, exist worldwide to this day and provide the ideal circumstances for our re-conversion to dragons. We try to avoid them.”

“Let me guess … the area around Flicker just happens to be one of them.”

“Do you want to wait around long enough to find out?”

Kevin would have to think long and hard about that one. Quite frankly, he could think of more than a couple of his fellow classmates at Flicker High School who he’d personally enjoy turning into crispy-critters.

“How about you, Pops?” Kevin says. “You sporting any scales, these days?”

“Surprisingly enough, no.”

“So, maybe, it is just a dream I’m dreaming, after all.”

“Nonetheless, I’m sending you to San Francisco to stay with your grandparents until I can make arrangements for your mother and me to join you.”

Quite suddenly, Kevin’s neck and head go dragonesque. His newly coalesced reptilian mouth, lined with its double rows of large and sharp teeth, opens wide.

“I’m not going anywhere!” he says in a loud low-bass voice that shakes the house on its foundations more violently than the earthquake and aftershocks had done before it.

He breathes fire that shoots the length of the room, singes Qwan Chou’s hair in passing, and lights the sofa on fire.

—excerpt WILLIAM MALTESE’S FLICKER: #1 BOOK OF ANSWERS (Artwork and excerpts with permission of author).

Editor in Chief’s F

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AN EXQUISITE 3-DAY SPRING FASHION MARATHON IN SAN FRANCISCO The beginning of spring in San Francisco commenced with the Award winning Fashion Community Week this year. After gaining popularity and demand for the shows, Fashion Community Week decided to introduce a spring edition of the show in addition to the Fall Fashion week that has been taking place since 2013.

The Spring 3-day Fashion marathon consisted of a Fashion Industry conference followed by showroom presentation and series of exquisite Fashion Shows representing Local and Global Fashion on the runway.

The opening night kicked off at the Fashion Incubator of San Francisco, a Fashion Conference with a discussion focusing on ‘Current affairs and future of Fashion’. The conference presented Daria Shapovalova(More Dash & Mercedes-Benz Kiev Fashion Days), Janet Wu(Silkroll), Evelyn Zoubi(ecloset.me & Glanse), Whitney Catchcart(3D look & Cathcart Technologies) and Julia Lam(Tara & Co).

The second night was our grandiose evening that took place at the Elegant Members only privé location: The Olympic club. This was the first ever fashion event at the location and the private club opened up the doors just for a day to ‘Welcome’ the Fashion Community Week guests and participants. This evening presented brand new International and Couture collection of the season featuring six Fashion Designers on the runway. The presenting designer brands were Agaati, Seatylish, Isabelle Fabrics, SiBi, Nidiritzy and Nancy Vuu. This evening commenced with a Gold reception with Specialty cocktails and delectable hors d'oeuvres with live music by El Disco and showroom presentation by Philine, Motiv Ring, See it Buy it, Mary Kay cosmetics, Jewels of Nepal and Agaati.

The celebration after party was hosted by private members club: ‘The Modernist’, with live music and specialty Fashion Community Week cocktails.

The Finale evening of the spring show took place at the Gorgeous Clift Hotel presenting five Local and Pret A Porter designer collection of the season on the runway. The presenting Designer brands were Stella Carakasi, The Dancing mama, Wear Mahsa, Vannessalynne Designs and Philine of San Francisco. The evening began with a social cocktail hour with live music by Melissa Rae, followed by the runway show and concluding with Celebration closing party with musician Polafunk.

The proceeds from our 3-day Spring Fashion Community Week benefitted the organization: Dress For Success. Fashion Community Week offers a business and marketing platform for fashion designers to showcase their collection. It is also a launching platform for emerging designers and designers coming from under represented backgrounds. Every year the platform brings all of the Fashion industry of San Francisco together, while attracting International fashion businesses as well. Stay tuned on social media (Facebook, Instagram & Linkedin) for upcoming Fashion Community week events Locally and Globally. Catch the next Fashion community week to experience new fashion collections, designers, brands and new beauty faces in the industry.

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Mrs. Julian is exactly the type of guest we look for.. Smart & savvy with real style.

We are doing a new segment called Contessa’s Court Corner started last October. Where Wanda Julian will fill us in on what is hot in fashion.

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My Favorite Twitch Streamer Kay Pike Kay Pike does body painting live on stream. She is so talented and very friendly! I have the best time in her stream! Some of my favorite paints are Supergirl, Star Sapphire, Sheik, Poison Ivy, and Harely Quinn.

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Haute Men’s Fashion WILLIAM MALTESE

Boxer Briefs For readers who took a look at this month’s subtitle and wondered if this is some kind of discourse on pugilism … wrong! Rather, it’s a tale of men’s underwear that begins with a naked Adam, progresses to Tarzan’s loincloth, Henry VIII’s codpiece, 1930’s knee-length flannel “drawers” (union suits), Jacob Golomb’s boxer shorts, Arthur Kneibler’s briefs. During all of that time, the purpose of such concealed garments seems to have been to avoid chafing, for warmth, or for support.

Somewhere along the line, though, men’s underwear began a metamorphosis that saw it evolve into a fashion statement. Firstly, it was with colors other than white or gray, as well as with wide variations in design that often made them skimpier and more form-fitting. These new renovations were initially offered up mainly by one or two mail-order companies that catered primarily to the always-fashion-forward gay male.

Along came color graphics: hearts, happy-faces, cartoon characters, and the like. Mainstream clothing manufacturers, always on the outlook for the latest fashion trend, jumped in full-force onto the bandwagon with their names and/or logos prominently displayed along men’s underwear waistbands, advantaging, as bonus, how some young men had taken to wearing their trousers lower than the tops of their underwear to become walking billboards for the designers’ products.

I long thought all of this possibly had something to do, too, with sexual aesthetics, providing for women the same excitement, in viewing their men in undies, that women, in frilly lace and silk, offered the male of our species. However, an informal survey I conducted seems to indicate women respond more to boxer vs. briefs than they do to whether either is red, green, blue, silk, cotton, or made by Versace, Calvin Klein, Jockey, or Draqual.

Whatever the reason or reasons, there’s presently a wider selection of underwear colors and styles from which men can choose than they could but a decade ago. The whole thing having ironically taken a possible three-sixty by how one men’s underwear company now advertises its product as like not wearing any underwear at all. (photographs with permission of Draqual International).

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Hi, in a mum of five boys and a holistic health practitioner based in Islington London.

My mother was from India and our family are focused on healing, and I’ve worked with many people doing healing massage and facials as well as facial acupressure and beauty facials I started making my own products to solve the unique skin-issues that I encounter with many clients as well as within my own family, who have super sensitive skin.

Several of my sons have modelled, and I’ve been called upon to clear up their skin and work miracles within an hour, when someone needs to go on a shoot. ( Boys can be very last minute.)

To develop my range I worked from my own list of ideas and tried recipes using a broad range of ingredients from different suppliers.

Then I gave the results to my extended friend network whilst listening carefully to what everyone thought over a period of three years.

This was after I tried everything myself, which was more of a process of elimination, as my skin is like a rabbit ear and will get spots within 15 minutes of the wrong ingredient being put on it.

I don’t use ingredients because they sound good or because they have a good backstory, I use them because they worked on me and on everyone else that I’ve asked to try it.

I only use 100 percent natural ingredients with a focus on U.K. grown oils from a bee friendly supplier that promotes U.K. crop diversity and organic ingredients.

We are vegan and sell our products in glass intended to be recycled by the consumer as it keeps things like spices and herbs etc super fresh.

Everything is handmade in London, and we love creating skincare that is “super-natural” but also “super-effective.” https://www.loveabsolute.co.uk/collections

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https://www.loveabsolute.co.uk/collections

https://www.loveabsolute.co.uk/collections

https://www.loveabsolute.co.uk/collections

Interview with Paul Butterworth

By Jean Maye

WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN ACTING? My mother was the youngest ever Poetry Society gold media medal winner in the 30’s and was all set to go on the West End when she fell in love with a lowly curate and gave it all up for the life of a vicars wife. I was the youngest of four and had poetry recited to me from the cradle, when I was 11 my mum started drama teaching drama with me as her first student.

Education was a bit less flexible when I came through the system and I had to choose between science and art A levels - I chose science and carried on with drama as a hobby.

But half way through my A levels, after dissecting rats and frogs, I found myself pulling the petals off a daffodil… Wordsworth it was not. And I decided I didn’t want to be a scientist, what I really wanted to do was communicate. So I put myself myself through A level English at night school (without telling the school) and got myself into the drama teaching course at the Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

At that stage I thought I might teach drama and you didn’t get a grant for the acting course my dad had died when I was 13 and we didn’t have much money - so teaching it was.

But by the end of the course I new I didn’t want to teach.

I’d found what I wanted to do in life. I wanted to act.

EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MOST LOVE ABOUT IT? When the director says action time stops.

You turn off yourself and release the person you’ve built inside you.

The nearest I can imagine it is if I was a bird and the pure joy there would be in flying… there’s nothing like it, nothing exists apart from the moment. You’re not thinking, you’re just being.

THE CHALLENGES? This is difficult… maybe learning fifteen minutes of lines in five hours for a broadcast shoot, but that’s very unusual.

Normally, learning words is easy as I just listen to the other person… and my lines just happen… if the scene’s working they’re as much a surprise to me as anybody else.

Building a character is fun - you submerge yourselves in their lives and try and imagine you have their memories and experiences.

HOW YOU GOT WORKING WITH JEAN MAYE? She let me read her fabulous script for Shadows End (nothing attracts an actor to a project more than a brilliant script) but obviously that wasn’t ready to go so I was aware of her writing.

I’d been acting almost full time before my son Josh was born, a couple of months before I did The Full Monty, but had had to reign it right back while I was bringing him up, and just take small cameos. However, when he started A levels I started a five year ‘return to acting plan’ which involved getting a decent agent, taking voice lessons (I found a fabulous voice coach in LA through my BAFTA contacts) and clocking up some short films.

Jean had cast Finding Hope but her vicar had had to pull out - at exactly the time I put out on social media I was looking for short films.

She contacted me and the script was so beautiful I leapt at the opportunity.

FINDING HOPE a) What you loved about the script?

The passion, the soul, the integrity and the deep understanding of the subject played out with minimal dialogue in a very filmic way. b) What was it like working with Jean Maye & Mouse Chased Cat Productions Jean is a true star - she just doesn’t know it yet!

She built a real team where everybody was valued and worked for the same goal… cast a great lead actress in Chrystal Leaity - I knew Crystal was special on the read through when she carried the emotion right through and beyond every line (that’s very rate)... and a young talented sassy American director, who was perfect for the job. c) The significance of the role of vicar The vicar is hugely significant. He sets the tone for the whole piece and positions the audience, not only emotionally but the quality they expect. Get that right and the script has a chance of working - get it wrong and you probably won’t pull it back before the end of the film.

If he’s done properly you shouldn’t notice the him, but by the end of the voiceover the audience should feel they’re with the Crystal walking away from the funeral.

Also, my dad was a vicar and when I was a child I remember a boy my age died of leukaemia, and how upset my dad was. So there was also the challenge of hitting the exact emotional tone between professional who conducts funerals every week and the conflicted man who’s had his faith challenged.

Had the piece, and more especially the vicar, not been so beautifully written I wouldn’t have taken the job.

d) How moving the story was It was very moving.

The story speaks for itself… how can you lose a child and carry on… how do you deal with the burden.

It’s haunting.

WORKING WITH MY SON JOSH Josh is just finishing his film making degree in Manchester and we’ve done three shorts together. I took him to LA and he directed one there… and the last one was with my screen son from Strike.

He’s great with actors as he understands how they work (apart from living with me for 18 years, he was a child actor/teenage actor - his last job was age 14 getting on a plane on his own and flying off to Jamaica to film a commercial with Usain Bolt) so he’s brilliant to work with.

At the moment he’s prepping his final uni film, Help Kneaded, to film in London in mid April.

So far he has a crew of seven (people are coming to him and offering to work on his shoot which is great) and has just finished the tenth draft off his script, which is Stanley Kubrick meets Ken Loach. He’s even cast me in a small part as the garage owner who owns the garage where his lead character lives.

I can’t wait to work with him on this… in the past I’ve funded and produced his shorts (where’s Jean when you need her)… but I’m an actor so found the producing very challenging. But Josh has raised his own budget on Kickstarter for this and put the whole thing together.

So, I can just turn up and act!

CURRENT PLANS & PROJECTS My current plan is to carry on working hard and build on the work that’s started to come in… I’ve just had the title role in an episode of Doctors (Eric in an episode called Eric) and was Robin’s dad in Strike and that’s led to an availability check for a big Hollywood film and a casting for a great part on a new Sky/HBO series.

Have a look at my show reel: https://vimeo.com/253645744 The good castings are great and my fingers are crossed, but what’s really exciting is that I’m finally getting back on casting’s radar.

FUTURE PLANS My future plan is too get one of those big jobs and put myself back to where I was before Josh was born.

And of course, to be in Shadows End.

So, tell Me Dahlink

by Brenda Burgett

So why would I say, that dealing with my mom is like putting a porcupine in a paper sack?

Ruthie is my mom. She recently said to me. “You will need to stop writing about me because you have said everything there is to say.” She couldn’t see the prickly person I wrote about in other books, would continue to give me inspiration.

“No, you are a chapter everyday I am with you.” Was my reply. Sometimes totally predictable and sometimes so funny, that I have been known to grab a pen and write on the nearest scrap of paper that is available.

Being born and mostly, raised in the beautiful Ozark mountains of Arkansas, Ruthie has a southern twist to her thinking, that progressively become more southern, as she stomped through her golden years, and in to the rusty.

The rusty in my thinking, is the 90’s. I haven’t heard or read it used before, thus the explanation. If it is common then forgive me as I don’t get out much!

My dad had enough of the pain and hard stuff, ten years ago, and my brother is driving his tractor in the Universe. I have the had the opportunity to witness and participate in Ruth’s rusty years, mostly without help. Sometimes that is trying and sometimes it is hilarious. Because of that exposure, it has been made clear to me that I have every right to be snarly and hard to deal with when trapped, or feel threatened. Feeling threatened has proven to be the hard one, because it is often my own reality and not shared by anyone else. Southern chips on the shoulder I think? If I had not had this quality time with the Ruthie I might have continued believing that I was a rotten snarly woman, and had no right to be walk the earth. Now I know I can blame her for my attitude and snarls.

Mom has a hearing loss that is challenging, but makes for a good laugh at herself and shared by me. I have times when my throat is sore from yelling and my head has been jarred into a very bad place. We have done the hearing aids and working on a second pair as I write this. The current pair is squashy sounding and she hears. The news and weather occasionally. She also hears Sweet Little Sixteen, White Christmas, and On Top of Old Smokey.

I don’t for a moment doubt her. I have however listened and hear nothing except a squeal occasionally. She and I have had the discussion that it would not be wise to tell her primary care Doctor about the phenomena just in case he wants to find matching accommodations for both of us. I’m crossing my fingers that the new aid will no longer allow any of the entertainment she has experienced, to continue.

Ruthie also had taken it upon herself to mend the broken relationships in the families she considers her immediate blood. These feuds had been occurring for many years and recently have become almost comfortable and acceptable.

I have two close members who have put themselves up for adoption and I helped with the paper work. It works on some distorted level and none of the parties involved believe it needs to be fixed. Sort of sad, as she put it. I needed to just buck up and apologize and say Merry Christmas! It might have worked, if it hadn’t.

“Good grief, those people just don’t like us, do they?” That ended that - at least for the time. It could be taken up again if she has too much time to think. Too much time usually means I haven’t spent enough time with her. That time schedule can be altered depending on how much life I’m attempting to have.

It’s hard to have an ally in my perceived daughter abuse, because she is a master and becoming an adorable older lady to everyone, except me. I have been frowned on openly many times, when I have threatened to leave her in the woods, if she doesn’t shapeup. The threat of a home for her is shaken off as lint on her sweater.

Next week we are having a glamour shot taken. There was no graduation from high school or wedding pictures. What fun will it be to have her in her jeans, boots and jacket standing by a stream and trees. She has never thought of herself as pretty. Maybe it’s time she did.

These curious days of snakes and snails and now her dragon tales. Fairy tales and princess dreams never come too late? Is the lesson that porcupines should never be put in a sack? Ok I get it. So, tell me dahling, where is my Island and my queen crown?